WASHINGTON -- Despite having little time left in the U.S. Senate, Mark Pryor smiled widely Thursday when he told reporters he is engaged to Joi Whitfield of North Little Rock.
The Democrat from Little Rock lost his re-election bid in November and is leaving the Senate after two terms. U.S. Sen. John Boozman spoke Thursday on the Senate floor about Pryor's service, moments after Pryor, 51, spoke with reporters.
Whitfield, 52, was in the Senate gallery during Pryor's farewell speech on the Senate floor Monday.
"God has also brought an old sweetheart back into my life -- Joi -- with whom I attended the sixth and seventh grades. So, when I say God has brought me joy, I mean it. Literally," the senator said in his speech.
Pryor and Whitfield both attended Pulaski Heights Middle School. He said they reconnected 1½ years ago, when they both were going through divorces.
"I saw her at a groundbreaking in North Little Rock. ... I hadn't seen her in 10 years and we started talking," Pryor said.
On Monday, Pryor and Whitfield had planned to attend the premiere of a movie directed by Angelina Jolie titled Unbroken at The Newseum, a Washington museum dedicated to news, but it was very busy, he said, so instead they went to dinner at Ted's Bulletin, a Washington-area chain specializing in American comfort food and pastries. Pryor said he proposed after they ate.
"It was great. It was fun," he said, sporting a broad grin as he walked down a Senate hallway Thursday. "We're really happy."
He said they are planning on a February wedding but still have to work out the details.
Whitfield leads Big Dog Homes LLC, a real-estate company based in North Little Rock, and served on the Central Arkansas Transit Authority board. Pryor has said he is not sure of his plans after he leaves the Senate, beyond that he wants to live in Arkansas.
Pryor has two adult children from his first marriage.
Also Monday, Boozman, a Republican from Rogers, spoke on the Senate floor about how well Arkansas' two senators worked together.
"While we don't always agree on policy, we always agree that we need to do what is best for Arkansas and what is best for our nation," Boozman said. "He's always ready to extend a hand to the other side of the aisle to get support. He always has Arkansas on his mind."
Boozman missed Pryor's speech Monday, when several other senators spoke about Pryor and gave him a standing ovation.
Boozman said he and Pryor tried to follow the long-standing tradition in the Arkansas delegation of working together regardless of party. When Boozman was first elected, he was the only Republican member of the delegation. Pryor is currently the only Democrat; he lost to Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton.
"I value his friendship and thank him for his service and appreciate all he's done for the people of Arkansas and wish him well in the next chapter of his life," Boozman said.
Metro on 12/12/2014